Gender Stereotypes in Coca-Cola’s Ad “Just Like Mama Used to Make” and Their Social Implications Essay

Introduction

As a reflection of prevalent cultural norms, television ads are a valuable source of information for society. On the other hand, gender value is also one of the most essential elements to consider when building marketing strategies via television advertising campaigns (Pongsapitaksanti, 2022). Since the 1970s, gender-role stereotyping in advertising has been a prevalent issue in commercial marketing (Pongsapitaksanti, 2022). Over the last decade, gender stereotyping in television advertisements has gained particular attention. However, from the standpoint of activists, advertising councils, and policy authorities, the stereotyped portrayal of men and women in contemporary advertisements is problematic for several reasons.

Advertising as a Reinforcer of Traditional Gender Roles

It is suggested that advertising generates and maintains gender stereotypes, which may weaken gender equality and be detrimental to society since some advertisements have differentiated gender roles. For example, Coca-Cola TV AD Spot 0:30 (2022) indicates that the new holiday television commercial for Coca-Cola has been given the endearing name “Just Like Mama Used to Make.” The ad tells a beautiful and touching story of a son who honors his late mother’s memory by preparing a cherished food recipe.

Further, he introduces his family and new generations together for special moments during the holiday season. Nevertheless, the advertisement did not disappoint in portraying a perfect example where gender roles have been separated. As such, gender stereotyping in TV commercials has been a tool used to distinguish between different tasks in relation to traditional gender differences.

The Stereotype of Male Domestic Ineptitude

The Coca-Cola TV AD Spot is an example of an advertisement that stereotypes men. For example, in the ad, a man struggles to cook for his family during the Christmas season. The man is disorganized in his cooking and almost ruins the meal by overcooking; the oven’s condition emits smoke, indicating it is burning. In this sense, due to this generalization, the ad “Just Like Mama Used to Make” presupposes that males are generally not skilled in the kitchen and are typically stereotyped as being geared toward men.

However, it is not the only example of a gender stereotype that is used in this ad; instead, it relies on a wide variety of clichés connected to male chauvinism. The ad shows the man not so concerned about his poor cooking skills as he handles hot food carelessly. The advertisement is an example of what may be seen: males are not supposed to be in the kitchen. In fact, the man in the ad is only aware that it is too late to prepare the family meal, which is something that he has difficulty undertaking.

Women as Natural Caregivers and Culinary Authorities

The narrative plays a significant role in emphasizing that women are the ideal individuals to be in charge of the kitchen. The plot revolves around an individual responsible for cooking their family’s holiday feast. The ad shows that the man had forgotten he was supposed to cook for the family; he was late with his preparations and hurriedly tried to catch up.

Moreover, he reminisces about his late mother, who constantly tells him that the culinary activity he is engaged in should be completed. The fact that he is seen tapping her wrist gives the impression that there is not much time left. This conveys a strong and unwelcoming message that, despite the holiday season, he cannot cook flawlessly and on time. It would seem that the developers’ goal is to create linkages between masculinity and the act of cooking, thereby marketing the product to males who want to perceive themselves as contributing, caring, and responsible family members.

Masculinity, Responsibility, and Emotional Dependence on Female Guidance

In addition, gender stereotypes in television commercials often portray the characteristics of males that differentiate their societal roles. For example, the actor portraying the chef in the advertisement appears extremely unskilled in the culinary sector. It is evident from how he works with the dough that it is not aligned as it should be, and he handles a hot cooking pot with his bare hands. This perfectly captures the spirit of being lazy and impatient, as is the nature of most men.

In fact, his late mother, who seems to be watching him in spirit form, expresses her displeasure as she stares at him perturbed. As such, it is clear that his late mother knew all that needed to be done and how it should be carried out. Nevertheless, she was evaluating his son’s capabilities regarding the responsibilities associated with kitchen duties. This has justified the stereotypical nature of how males are depicted as generally indolent, contributing to the perpetuation of this stereotype in this advertisement.

The Perpetuation of Domestic Gender Hierarchies in Holiday Advertising

The new Coca-Cola advertisement titled “Just Like Mama Used to Make” proves that women were intended to fill the responsibilities of cooks. Despite his mother being a perfect chef in the specific family recipe, the son could never perfect her culinary skills. Instead, he was forced to hurriedly review old recipes to imitate her mother better, which he already does horribly.

Moreover, when the food was finally ready, he had second thoughts about exhibiting his meal at the table since he suspected he would be bashed for preparing a terrible meal. However, the inspiration from her late mother pushed him to exhibit the cuisine regardless; he is seen conversing with her at a secluded place. Thus, this is a resounding demonstration that women were relegated to the domestic sphere, where they honed their abilities, while men were forced into more physically demanding occupations.

Further, women are often portrayed in cultural stereotypes as being nurturing and polite, which helps to guarantee that they are natural caregivers. It is clear from the advertisement that the mother made an effort to teach her kid to behave in the same way as she did. In the ad, she watches his sad mistakes while cooking, showing discontent as she looks at his son straight, showing how surprised she is. Similarly, the advertisement demonstrates how gracious she is despite his blunders when he is cooking in the kitchen. This contradicts the cultural notion that males are expected to be dominant and aggressive.

Conclusion

In summary, the latest advertisement for Coca-Cola, “Just Like Mama Used to Make,” is emotional. Despite this, it has shed light on some aspects of the societal stereotype that males do not belong in the kitchen since responsibilities like those are exclusively allocated to women. However, at first glance, nothing seems wrong with this ad. In fact, it appears to relate to the overall theme of people spending the holidays with their families while drinking Coca-Cola soda.

Some guys might strive to be better chefs, but it does not mean all men are lazy and cannot be well organized and cook simultaneously. Men should not be made to feel they have to aspire to fill these positions to be considered successful individuals. For this reason, contemporary marketing techniques should in no way contribute to the consolidation of gender stereotypes.

References

“Coca-Cola TV AD Spot 0:30 ‘The Holidays Always Find a Way,” YouTube.

Pongsapitaksanti, P. (2022). Gender and working roles in television commercials: A comparison between Japanese and Thai television commercials. Manusya: Journal of Humanities, 24(3), 355–372.